When it comes to outdoor paving products, the general rule of thumb is as follows:

The thicker, the better!

Some consumers are happy to purchase relatively thin paving slabs – after all, they’re cheaper, and they don’t look all that different once they’re laid. What’s the problem?

The problem lies beneath the surface. Thick paving slabs can bear heavy loads without showing the strain; they can stand up to reasonably high levels of foot traffic; they can stay strong in the face of wear and tear for years on end. Thin paving slabs...can’t.

Our 20mm porcelain paving is the thickest porcelain product available. It is sturdier, more robust, and longer-lasting than the competition, meaning that your outdoor space will stay beautiful for longer.

Oh, and one other thing: the superior thickness of Out 2.0 paving allows it to be installed without mortar, cement, or adhesives of any kind. We use a revolutionary pedestal support system that makes laying your paving slabs a quicker, easier task than ever before.

So, to sum up...

Thick paving slabs are better because:

• They can handle heavier loads
• They are less likely to be damaged by large of volumes of foot traffic
• They will last longer in the average outdoor space
• They can be dry-installed

Thin paving slabs simply can't compete! Order your Out 2.0 paving sample today.

Decking and paving: two quality outdoor surfaces, two equally excellent options. Since we have experience of both, we are often asked which of the two materials is better for the garden.

As with most decisions like this, there isn't a single, objective answer that we can give. Both choices have their unique merits, and at the end of the day, it mostly comes down to preference.

With this in mind, one good approach to this decision is to think about what kind of effect you want from the finished project. Generally speaking, a paved area lends itself to a smooth, contemporary style, while the natural-looking wooden boards are better for the more traditional outdoor space.

Of course, there are exceptions; some deck products are designed to look rather modern, and certain paving slabs boast a timeless, classical air. The best thing to do is as follows: decide what you want from your outdoor space, consider how you would like it to look and feel, and proceed from there, investigating as many different colours and designs as possible to ensure that you get the right one.

Now, some people might tell you that there is a clear-cut winner in this battle. They might say that paving is better because timber boards need loads of maintenance; conversely, they might argue that paving should be avoided because it's difficult to install. But, in truth, very few of these factors present a problem nowadays.

Composite wood decking and porcelain paving are both very durable, very easy to manage, and most importantly, very low-maintenance. Furthermore, neither product is decisively dearer; you’ll find a mix of cheap, low-quality products and more expensive high-end items in both markets. Whether you’re shopping for paving slabs or deck boards, you’ll get what you pay for.

This is good news. With those mitigating factors all but eliminated, you are free to forget about the specifications and concentrate on the design you want for your dream outdoor space. With no maintenance to worry about and very little difference in price or performance, decking and paving are both brilliant choices for the garden, and it’s entirely up to you which is better for your project.

Of course, you could always just do what Lee from Cardiff did and use them both!

Turning a tired, neglected outdoor space into something truly astounding is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. Here are some 'Before' and 'After' photos to give you an idea of the magic that porcelain paving can work...

Before: This roof terrace in Barnet looked faded and ordinary, but we turned it into something far more eye-catching...

After: Ta-dah! Our porcelain paving has left the roof space looking refreshed, resplendent, and much more modern.

Before: Rain is always an issue in the garden, and wet weather had left this outdoor space looking somewhat the worse for wear.

After: The revamped garden is barely recognisable when compared to how it used to look! The porcelain paving looks great against the superbly stylish decking, and the low porosity of porcelain means that those paving slabs will stay beautiful whatever the weather.

To read more about these porcelain garden projects, take a look at our brand new Case Studies page.

Porcelain has many qualities to recommend it, but perhaps the most intriguing thing about our porcelain tiles and paving slabs is their versatility, the beauty they're capable of bringing to interiors and outdoor spaces alike. In Friday's blog post, we enthused about In.Out porcelain tiles and how they can be used both indoors and outdoors, but what we didn't really talk about was the astounding effect that the tiles can have on these spaces and why said effect is so appealing.

That's what we're going to do today: now that we've established that you can use our products in both the home and the garden, it's time to explain why you might want to!

Porcelain Tiles for Indoor Use
We're not going to tell you that solid wood flooring and luxurious carpeting aren't great choices for your living space, but we will say that porcelain tiles are just as good, if not better. The natural stone effect will bring a fresh, breezy atmosphere to your home that very few traditional flooring products can match; where old-fashioned wood flooring and soft carpets can contribute towards a slightly stuffy feeling, porcelain floor tiles come with a kind of outdoorsy look that will make your home (and you yourself) feel cool and refreshed at all times.

Porcelain Paving for the Garden
On the other side of the coin we have outdoor spaces, and that could mean anything from a back yard to a balcony to the beer garden at your local pub. If it's out in the open, porcelain is the perfect choice, and not just because it requires so little maintenance. Porcelain paving has a beauty that's mostly absent from other outdoor flooring products, and that's because it can afford to show off a little, embracing the kind of deep elegance that's usually only found indoors, where inclement weather isn't a factor. Out 2.0 paving is that rare product that's both beautiful and durable - why put practicality before style when you could have both in spades?

The beauty we offer with our porcelain products is open to both indoor and outdoor use, and as we hinted at above, the best part of that beauty is that it doesn't need much looking after. Porcelain can more or less look after itself, leaving you more time to sit back and enjoy it!

We cannot think of many better ways to embellish your outdoor living area, than by having a beautiful porcelain patio laid. The smooth, silky, and shiny effect a porcelain patio can have on its surrounding area is something to behold! We’ve come up with 3 ways in which you can embellish your patio with our stunning porcelain floor tiles – we hope you share our vision come the end!

Cool Blue – Our Bluestone range of porcelain patio slabs embodies all things cool, and all things blue! One of the luxuries of porcelain being manmade is that you have some flexibility in the outcome of its colour and tone. This freedom allows unique and vibrant shades such as our Bluestone Design, and Bluestone Vintage to become a reality. As you can see by the example we used in the picture, cool blue porcelain gives an effect like no other! If you favour more contemporary styles, we cannot think of a better surface for your patio than our blue porcelain tiles – they ooze a crisp, clean modernity that is infectious!

Classic Limestone – We never like to pigeon-hole our products too much, as we think Bluestone could work in the right traditional property, and Limestone in a modern one; having said that, our classic Limestone range of porcelain tiles is a fantastic way to give your patio a warm, earthy rebirth! If our Bluestone range is an example of how we can create the new, our Limestone range is how we can better the existing! As you can see from our product range, these tiles create a warming porcelain patio like that of real limestone – but remember, as this is porcelain we are dealing with, your tiles won’t stain, scratch, or need to be sealed. If you want to give your patio a makeover, our Limestone tiles will bathe your space with a charming Mediterranean warmth.

Tile Transition – The last way in which you can truly adorn your patio with porcelain is all about creating a continuous transition. For this to make sense, it is worth telling you that for all of our outdoor porcelain tiles, we have a thinner indoor version in the same colour. This means you can have your patio and adjacent room tiled in exactly the same beautiful tiles! The effect this creates is sublime; as you can see from the image above, it does this by creating a uniform living space, and the results are truly breath-taking!

These simple tips can help you create a masterpiece of a porcelain patio! What we hope to have shown you is the versatility of our floor tiles; whether you’re creating an ultra-modern space, or a traditional retreat, our floor tiles complement your area beautifully. And, if you want to really create a synchronised-space, why not use our same alluring floor tiles inside your home as well?